Monroe Street Library Clarification
postedHi all,
My post on Monday about this Thursday's Library Board agenda item dealing with the budget included this sentence:
"Let me be up front. Given the fiscal challenges we're facing with the city's structural deficit, the fate of the Monroe Street Library is an open question."
My intent was to make clear that library services, including those provided by the Monroe Street branch, are among those services subject to potential cuts in the face of the City's structural deficit. Specifically, if a referendum or other long-term solutions -- such as the state legislature allowing Madison a small increase in the sales tax -- are not identified, all library services will be at risk.
That said, I regret using the word "fate" instead of the word "future." My phrasing raised concerns that cuts to Monroe Street Library could take place in 2025, possibly leading to its closure.
I'm pleased to report that is not the case. Our new Library Director, Tana Elias, reached out to me to clarify her agency request is to maintain current staffing levels at Monroe Street, the details of which will be discussed at Thursday's meeting. It's highly unlikely, therefore, that the Mayor's 2025 Executive Budget will make cuts to this beloved neighborhood branch.
Yesterday, Director Elias publicly shared her reassurance:
I've fielded quite a few questions about the Monroe Street Library in the past few days, so I'd like to provide a brief overview of how Monroe Street Library specifically is included in this year's budget proposal.
As you might have read recently in the local news and across social media, the City of Madison is facing major budget challenges in 2025 that could force significant cuts to Madison Public Library service and operations. In response to the city’s recent directive to all city agencies to present a 5% budget reduction plan, the library crafted two budget scenarios that the Library Board will consider this Thursday evening (July 11, 5pm, Central Library).
First, our budget proposal includes eliminating a vacant position and moving that funding to Monroe Street Library and the Dream Bus. Since 2021, we have only received City funding for three days of service at Monroe Street Library, with City Finance approval to use the library's fund balance (similar to the City's "rainy day" fund, but specifically for the library) to cover the cost of the remaining two days. This year's budget proposal would guarantee the continuation of five days (40 hours) of Monroe Street Library service for 2025 and beyond.
Second, our 5% budget reduction proposal includes reductions to Sunday hours at three libraries, programming across the library system, and evening hours in all libraries except Monroe Street Library and Alicia Ashman Library, both of which sustained service reductions beginning in 2021.
Under the proposals shared with the Library Board for consideration, there would be little impact to Monroe Street Library's current service level.
That said, there would be significant impacts to library service throughout the city if the 5% reduction scenario comes to pass, including 15-30% of our programming capacity and 97-109 hours of in-person service per week across seven libraries. Libraries lift up and strengthen our whole community. Madisonians rely on the library to learn, engage with others, enhance their careers, and enrich their lives. These reductions would significantly affect the accessibility and quality of library service across the city.
I encourage you to learn more about the library's budget and the City of Madison's budget, and learn how you can get involved in both processes.
In a subsequent email exchange, Director Elias shared my concerns that the future of the Monroe Street branch is indeed an open question, as she wrote to me last evening:
Monroe Street and every other library will eventually see service reductions if the City continues to ask agencies to make service reductions due to the structural deficit and other economic factors each year as the gap widens.
I'm grateful for the clarification and regret not being more clear with Monday's post.
However, it's beyond debate that Madison's structural deficit is largely due to state policy. For that reason, you may wish to attend the follwoing candidate forum:
Assembly District 77 Candidates Forum
Bayview Foundation Community Center
Wednesday, July 10, 6:30-8:00pm
We all know attending in-person is best but for those who can't be physically present, here is the Zoom link.
The link to submitting questions should still be live during the event so if you have a question, https://forms.gle/VgJvrBWyH5x9uo6FA
Take care and stay safe,
Tag
Alder Tag Evers
District 13
Contact Alder Evers